WHY IT WORKED: Atrium at EastLake Vistas is one of the last neighborhoods to be built in this successful, 3,200-acre community just south of San Diego. Move-up buyers responded to the large plans and architectural details.
Davidson, which had built a neighborhood in the same community a couple of years earlier, expected that those buyers would be ready to move up to larger, more luxurious homes. The builder was right.Plentiful bedrooms (four to six) appeal to buyers with large, extended families.Distinctive architecture, including a covered bridge that connects the two separate wings in Plan 3, is a big draw.The best-selling Plan 3 is the largest home offered. At a spacious 4,258 square feet, it boasts a two-car garage plus a tandem garage, an interior courtyard with inglenook, and four and a half baths.
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PROJECT CREDITS
Project: Atrium at EastLake Vistas, Chula Vista, Calif.; Sales started: January 2006; Sales through November 2006: 22; Units planned: 68; Price: $987,900 to $1,082,900; Unit size: 3,720 to 4,258 square feet; Builder/Developer: Davidson, Del Mar, Calif.; Architect: R. Douglas Mansfield Architects, Laguna Beach, Calif.; Landscape architect: MW Peltz and Associates, Solana Beach, Calif.; Interior designer: Design Line Interiors, San Diego eric figge photography
Custom Touches
The Highlands of Glenmoor, Easton, Pa.
WHY IT WORKED: Excellent location, multiple floor plan options, and ready-to-use resort-style amenities combined to make this active adult community a big hit.
Traditions of America, the community's developer and builder, hit its target market: buyers ages 55 and over within a 10-mile radius of the site, including a significant number (40 percent) from neighboring New Jersey.Customization of the seven different single-family models goes beyond flooring and cabinetry options: Buyers can design their own floor plans through Traditions' custom home program.Many resort-style amenities, including a top-notch clubhouse, were fully developed when residents began moving in.
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PROJECT CREDITS
Project: The Highlands of Glenmoor, Easton, Pa.; Sales started: November 2004; Sales through November 2006: 240; Units planned: 251; Price: $261,750 to $312,500; Unit size: 1,521 to 2,616 square feet; Builder/Developer: Traditions of America, Philadelphia; Architect: Feinberg & Associates, Voorhees, N.J.; Land planner: Randall Richter, Doylestown, Pa.; Landscape architect: Godlwesky Landscape, Great Meadows, N.J.; Interior designers: Design Environments, Kennesaw, Ga., and Builders Design, Gaithersburg, Md.
The Price Is Right
Charleston Park, South Lyon, Mich.
WHY IT WORKED: This part of Michigan has been experiencing relatively flat sales, so homes were priced just below market as an incentive. Stone-and-shake exteriors also helped pull in buyers.
Lot sizes negated the ability to offer an attached three-car garage, so the architect designed the homes with a two-car courtyard garage with an optional bay that can be built on the opposite side of the house.The neighborhood is within walking distance of both woodlands and a charming downtown area. Excellent nearby schools are also a draw.
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BD070301098bL1.jpgCLICK HERE FOR IMAGE GALLERY
PROJECT CREDITS
Project: Charleston Park, South Lyon, Mich.; Sales started: May 2006; Sales through November 2006: 12; Units planned: 100; Price: $299,900 to $359,900; Unit size: 2,156 to 3,017 square feet; Builder: Kheder Homes, Farmington Hills, Mich.; Developer: Singh Development, West Bloomfield, Mich.; Architect: TK Design & Architecture, Howell, Mich.; Land planner: Atwell Hicks, Novi, Mich.; Landscape architect: United Lawnscape, Washington Township, Mich.; Interior designer: AK Designs, Farmington Hills